Education

by Susan Cantine-Maxson

The regular monthly meeting of the Board of Directors of the Eastern Allamakee Community School District (EACSD) was held at Kee High School in Lansing Monday, August 16. Besides Keystone Area Education Agency (AEA) representatives, most of the rest of the meeting audience consisted of new staff members of the district prior to the start of the new school year.

Alex Marti of Waukon was one of more than 140 first-year University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine students - the Class of 2025 - to participate in the 27th annual Arnold P. Gold Foundation White Coat Ceremony earlier this month. Marti is a 2016 graduate of Waukon High School.

The White Coat Ceremony is a celebrated experience as students enter medical school. In the presence of family, guests and faculty members, students are welcomed into the medical community by leaders of the medical center and ceremonially “cloaked” with their white coat. Then, dressed in white, they stand to take the ancient Oath of Hippocrates, traditionally sworn at graduation.

Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) is inviting everyone to celebrate the start of the school year at Fall Fest Thursday, September 9 from 5-8 p.m. Community members are welcome to attend and enjoy music, inflatables, rides, carnival games for kids of all ages and fireworks at dusk.
Highlights include the U.S. National Guard rock climbing wall, warrior jousting, dunk tank, cotton candy and the Moo Mobile. Local musician Beau Timmerman will perform from 5:30-7 p.m.

The Fall Fest dinner will be pulled pork/all beef hot dogs, chips, bars, root beer and water. Cost for Fall Fest is by free-will donation. Tickets for activities are available for purchase, and most activities require only one or two tickets. The activities and meal will be located in the center of campus with parking available nearby. The NICC Calmar campus is located at 1625 Hwy 150 South on the south edge of Calmar.

The Allamakee County 4-H County Council sponsored a School Supplies Drive at the 2021 Allamakee County Fair to benefit the Allamakee County Relief Office in assisting those in need. Supplies such as notebooks, crayons, book bags and much more were collected throughout the fair. Over 100 items were donated to the Allamakee County Relief Office this year through the drive. Pictured above at the donation presentation are, left to right,  4-H County Council member Natalie Byrnes and Allamakee County Director of Relief Services Rebecca Hawes.

The Allamakee County 4-H Council would like to extend its special appreciation to all who donated to the drive this year. For further information about the Allamakee County 4-H Program, contact Marissa Foels, Allamakee County Youth Coordinator at the Allamakee County Extension and Outreach Office in Waukon by calling 563-568-6345. Submitted photo.

The 4-H Toppers 4-H Club recently completed a community service project at the Waterville Community Center. The club painted a classroom on the lower level of the former Waterville school; some will remember that room as the red wall classroom or Kids Club room. This is a large room where monthly 4-H meetings are held, and the club felt new paint would make the room more appealing and would be an asset to the Community Center. In January of 2021, the Club applied for and received a Pioneer Seed Grant for community improvement projects to be completed in 2021. The club was one out of 20 grant applications selected for $300 toward the project.

by Brianne Eilers

The Allamakee Community School District (ACSD) Board of Directors met for its regular monthly meeting Monday evening, August 16. A welcome reception for new teachers was held prior to the meeting. Board member Beth Shafer was absent.

Under the Consent Agenda, the board approved the following personnel matters: After School Program staff; Ashley Mitchell as a West Elementary Paraprofessional; Michelle Gress as a West Elementary Paraprofessional; Amanda Willoughby as a West Elementary Paraprofessional; Marissa Nagel as a Level 3 Paraprofessional; Kay Gavin as Food Service Administrative Assistant; and 2021-2022 Mentors.

As part of its Live & Learn: enriching lives through monthly learning series, Robey Memorial Library in Waukon is offering a Home Pressure Canning and Dehydrating Class Thursday, August 26 at 5:30 p.m. in the lower level Community Room of the library.

Attend this free presentation by Allamakee County Master Gardeners to learn the helpful tips and techniques of food preservation. Instruction will include using a pressure cooker; using a dehydrator; and answering questions about food preservation.

Registration for this program is encouraged but not required. Contact the library Front Desk or reserve spot in the class online at 563-568-4424 or www.waukon.lib.ia.us.
 

Robey Memorial Library in Waukon will once again be hosting its Main Street Story Walk in August featuring the children’s story “There Are No Bears In This Bakery” by Julia Sarcone-Roach. During the month, families are encouraged to read this story as they stroll the downtown area of Waukon. When joining in the fun, participants are reminded to practice social distancing and be attentive when crossing streets for the safety and health of all.

Eight selected businesses have a portion of the story posted in the front window of their establishment for viewing from the sidewalk. Each stop along the Story Walk will direct participants to the next location. Selected businesses are located on West Main Street, First Street NW and First Avenue NW at the following locations: 1. Blake Electric; 2. Epic Wear; 3. S&D Café; 4. Rockweiler Appliance; 5. City Club; 6. Cunningham Hardware; 7. JaDecc’S; 8. Side Street Cycles.
 

by Susan Cantine-Maxson

The Iowa Governor’s STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Advisory Council has announced that the Eastern Allamakee Community School District (EACSD) has been awarded a STEM BEST Grant. BEST stands for Businesses Engaging Students and Teachers.

The grant supports school-business partnerships on curriculum and projects. There were 22 grants awarded statewide. The district will receive up to $25,000 to support that initiative. The program will initially partner with Main Street Lansing, the Lansing Works organization headed by MaryAnn Baldwin, the Rural Iowa Business Association, Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC), Allamakee County Economic Development(ACED) and Keystone Area Education Agency (AEA).

Two Allamakee County 4-H’ers were among the recipients of the more than 85 Iowa 4-H scholarships valued at over $127,000 awarded as part of the Iowa 4-H Foundation’s scholarship recognition ceremony held Sunday, July 11 in the Scheman Building on the campus of Iowa State University in Ames. Over 300 applications were submitted and scholarships were awarded to recipients from 49 counties across the state of Iowa with a wide variety of 4-H experiences.

“Iowa 4-H Foundation scholarships acknowledge the hard work and dedication of young people who have used their 4-H skills and experiences to ‘make the best better’ for others,” said Emily Saveraid, Executive Director of the Iowa 4-H Foundation. “We also are thankful for the many scholarship donors who fund these important opportunities for Iowa 4-H’ers.”